Wednesday, 17 May 2017

Lin Dan Threatens to Sue for Wages

Lin Dan publicly revealed he and six players have not been paid for months

It was shocking to read today that badminton superstar Lin Dan had to resort to social media to complain that he and his fellow players on his team have not been paid 4 million yuan in over five months.

He and six other players competed in the lucrative China Badminton Super League, the prime national team competition for badminton players on the mainland. It was held from December 6, 2016 to January 14th this year and is run by the China Badminton Association.

On Weibo, Lin complained to his three million followers that his team Guangzhou Yueyu had yet to pay them.

"It is chilling that so far all the athletes have not received salaries. We athletes in order not to affect the collective honour, still insisted on completing matches despite not being paid.

"We have communicated many times with the club to pay the salaries and so far their attitude is really frustrating and disappointing. For the club to win honour while we get nothing, please do not let our sweat flow white!

Lin was in hot water when he wasn't seen with his wife (left)

"We solemnly declare that the Guangzhou Yueyu Badminton Club's Mr Gao Jun and Mr Fu Xun respect the athletes and pay the full salaries... or we will take legal means to defend our rights and interests!"

Apparently Guangzhou's chairman Gao said even he himself was owed wages, and that he would rush to the city of Heyuan in Guangdong province, where the club's main sponsors are based, to have the wage matter settled as soon as possible.

While Lin is a very popular athlete, his image took a big hit when he was photographed with another woman while his wife Xie Xingfan was pregnant. The couple reconciled and his wife also took to social media, asking that the athletes be paid.

It turns out the club is registered in the national league under the name Heyuan Agricultural and Commercial Bank Guangzhou Team, and Gao said the bank was one of the club's major sponsors but had yet to pay up.

"This incident has nothing to do with Yueyu," says Gao. "We have been made scapegoats."

So will Lin and his fellow players be paid eventually? Does the bank have enough funds? Sounds strange for it to not pay the athletes... or is their money stuck in some soured loan no one is supposed to know about?